MLB, Budweiser and TEAM Coalition Reward Responsible Fan at the 2019 World Series Game 1

10/23/2019

For one very lucky and responsible Houston Astros fan, Game 1 of the 2019 World Series® will forever be treasured as an incredible baseball memory. Laura Lawhon, from Houston, TX, cheered loudly for her beloved Astros from inside Minute Maid Park on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. Mrs. Lawhon and her guest received tickets to the game as her reward for being a responsible fan. She was one of the two grand prize winners of the League-wide “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” (RHIR) sweepstakes to celebrate responsible fans.

Through the Budweiser Responsible Fan program and the TEAM Coalition Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes, more than 500,000 baseball fans 21 and over pledged to enjoy responsibly and have a safe ride plan during at Major League Baseball ballparks this season.

For the 16th consecutive season, MLB, TEAM Coalition and Budweiser have partnered to make fans aware of the responsibility programs offered at MLB ballparks. These programs and the “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” sweepstakes promote positive fan behavior by encouraging responsible drinking and safe ride plans.

Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers promote responsible drinking among baseball fans by implementing Budweiser Responsible Fan programs with 19 MLB ballparks throughout the season. Anheuser-Busch is an official sponsor of Major League Baseball.

As the Houston Astros Responsible Fan for the Season, Laura Lawhon received two tickets for Game One of the 2019 World Series®, was recognized on the video scoreboard and met MLB and Club officials. The Washington Nationals Responsible Fan of the Season, Linda Washington of Upper Marlboro, MD, will attend Game Three of the World Series® at Nationals Park as the other RHIR sweepstakes grand prize winner.

During the 2019 MLB regular season, 500,000 baseball fans planned ahead and made a responsible, winning play by pledging to be designated drivers.

The top five MLB Clubs for responsible fans in 2019 are:

  • St. Louis Cardinals: 69,483 responsible fans
  • Milwaukee Brewers: 38,831 responsible fans
  • Los Angeles Dodgers: 31,324 responsible fans
  • Minnesota Twins: 28,086 responsible fans
  • San Diego Padres: 27,335 responsible fans
A key aspect to the enjoyment of America’s pastime is responsible behavior – before, during, and after the game. MLB is proud to partner with TEAM Coalition and the Budweiser Responsible Fan program to increase awareness of social responsibility associated with baseball. Responsibility does have its rewards, and we congratulate this seasons’ RHIR sweepstakes winners – enjoy the game!David Thomas, Vice President, Security & Ballpark Operations, Major League Baseball
Our colleagues take great pride in promoting responsible drinking, as we have done for more than 35 years. The Responsibility Has Its Rewards program is a great way to remind fans to both enjoy responsibly and have a safe ride plan. Our partnership with Major League Baseball, TEAM and the great fans at Minute Maid Park showcases our collective mission to ensure that every experience with one of our beers is a positive one.Adam Warrington, Vice President, CSR-Better World, Anheuser-Busch
The success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign with Major League Baseball and Budweiser is a direct result of the commitment from the League, the MLB Clubs and all the campaign partners. Teamwork is what this campaign is all about. It is proof that when everyone – including the fans – takes responsibility, everyone wins.Jill Pepper, Executive Director, TEAM Coalition
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Major League Baseball is the best-attended sport in North America, and since 2004, MLB has enjoyed its best-attended seasons in the history of the game. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Network and MLB digital platforms, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com
Anheuser-Busch
For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has been woven into the cultural fabric of the United States, carrying on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate 23 breweries, 14 distributorships and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities, and have more than 18,000 colleagues across the United States. We are home to several of America’s most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry.

From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home.

For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedInTwitterFacebook and Instagram.

TEAM Coalition
TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, traffic safety experts and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. TEAM Coalition members and supporters include Major League Baseball, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Americrown, Aramark, Delaware North Sportservice, Legends, Spectra, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Constellation Brands, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, Lyft, National Association of Broadcasters, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information, visit TEAMCoalition.org.

 

US DOT / NHTSA 2018 NATIONAL DATA:

  • In 2018, 10,511 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related (BAC > 0.08) car crashes, an decrease of 3.6% from the 10,908 fatalities in 2017.
  • Many, if not most of those lives would have been saved if people did not drive when they were impaired by alcohol or if they used sober, designated drivers or if they simply wore their seat belts.
  • Statistics and research clearly show that 21-34 year old males are the demographic most likely to be involved in an automobile crash, drive when impaired by alcohol, and fail to buckle up.

(L to R):

Kyle Cizek, Anheuser-Busch; Christy Verbosky, TEAM Coalition; Laura Lawhon, Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes winner; Mat Drain, Aramark; Carl Mittleman, Aramark; Cynde Bard, Silver Eagle Distributors Houston (A-B Distributor); David Thomas, Major League Baseball.